Sports
New Hyde Park Juniors Win First Two of 2012 Williamsport Tournament
Little league juniors defeat Floral Park and Malverne in opening rounds.
In the opening game for the New Hyde Park Little League juniors in the Williamsport Tournament, pitcher Kyle Cajigas set the tone early pitching 5 solid innings striking out 7 and allowing only 2 runs. New Hyde Park led 3-2 in the sixth when Floral Park staged a rally to tie the game at three, forcing extra innings.
In the ninth, John Hayes started the inning with a hit-by-pitch, Dylan Savarese followed with a bunt single. After the runners advanced to second and third, TJ Goustas laid down a suicide squeeze bunt for the go-ahead run as Savarese, who was on third, then took off for home and stole the base to make the score 5 to 3.
Floral Park would not go away, scoring one in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs. Niko Rullo was called to the mound and promptly threw 3 strikes to close out the game 5-4. Kyle Cajigas was the player of the game, going 3-4, including a two run homer in the thirrd inning. Rullo added 2 hits an RBI and a run scored, while Jake Villacias added a run scored in the third as well.
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After riding their opening win in the tournament, New Hyde Park faced a test against Malverne. Behind the solid pitching of Eric Mihok (4 innings, 2 runs, 3 hits) and Niko Rullo (3 innings, 0 runs, 2 hits) prevailed 3-2.
Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, Kyle Cajigas led off with a single and with one out, Mike Thornton and Mihok followed with consecutive walks.
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Jeremy Elkashash then drew a bases loaded walk for the first run. Zachary Reifschneider then drove a single into left to tie the score at 2.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, as after one out Rullo walked (who was on base three times) and Cajigas reached on an error to put runners on second and third.
After an international walk to the No. 4 hitter Doug Obidienzo, Justin Bellamy delivered the game winning hit into right center field for the 3-2 win.
Vincent Balletta had been utilized as a special pinch runner in both games and had 2 stolen bases.
